


Home Cookin'

by nerdcredred, Ocelot_l



Series: Lifetimes [41]
Category: Atop the Fourth Wall, That Guy with the Glasses/Channel Awesome
Genre: Brief Mention of a Bad Childhood, Gen, M/M, References to past death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-29
Updated: 2015-06-29
Packaged: 2018-04-06 18:32:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4232349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdcredred/pseuds/nerdcredred, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ocelot_l/pseuds/Ocelot_l
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When 90s Kid messes up his Father's Day breakfast for Harvey, the singer decides to take matters into his own hands, leading to a day of bonding in the kitchen together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home Cookin'

**Author's Note:**

> All works can also be found at my LiveJournal page at http://bookishlady242.livejournal.com/
> 
> Co-Author's Note: Apologies for this story being a week late! This story takes place a few months after the events of Crash and Burn.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: We do not own the characters, the shows, or the people who portray the characters. This is meant as a work of fiction and is fair use. Please support the creators by watching their videos, letting the ads play, buying their DVDs and merchandise, and/or contributing to their Patreon(s). "Home Cookin'" is performed by The Band.

Harvey awoke and yawned, rolling his neck a few times as he climbed out of bed. The sun was still low in the sky and morning birds were chirping away as loudly as they pleased, but Harvey wasn’t at all thinking about catching a few more hours of sleep. When he wasn’t too exhausted from traveling or performing, he enjoyed waking up before the others. Harvey would use that quiet time to make his morning rounds of the base, checking that its inhabitants were still sleeping soundly, exchanging pleasantries with Boffo before he left for the day, and sharing a bit of banter with Ninja as he cooked breakfast. 

What Harvey wasn’t used to experiencing during his peaceful mornings were crashes and bangs coming from the kitchen, while a faint burning stench filled the air. Harvey quickly dressed and headed downstairs, his eyes widening slightly when he noticed a stack of dirtied dishes on the counter swaying so precariously that the slightest breeze would most likely knock it over. Beside the stack lay a pile of blackened squares which he presumed had once been bread, a puddle of yellow-orange goo he couldn’t identify, and smears of tan batter. Harvey ran one finger through such a smear before bringing it to his mouth. 

“Mmm, not bad,” he mused just as a figure holding a smoking pan entered the room. 

“Oh man, I gotta get all this junk cleaned up before-Harvey-dude!” 90s Kid looked over at the singer in shock and quickly tried to hide the pan behind his back. “I-I didn’t know you were up, man! Shouldn’t you be back in bed, catching some Zs and resting up your voice or something?”

Harvey smiled. “I appreciate the concern, Junior, but I’m done sawing logs for the day.” 90s Kid was about to respond when a partially-formed pancake suddenly fell from the ceiling and landed on his head. 

“Whoa!” 90s Kid was about to step backwards when Harvey deftly reached out and snatched it up. 

“Whoops. Let me get that for you, Junior. I didn’t know you could cook.”

90s Kid blushed a bit. “Uh, I can’t, really.”

“Is that so? Well, I admire your determination to try something new, but why were you trying to do all this by yourself?” Harvey asked curiously.

90s Kid’s face turned even redder and he looked to the floor. “Um, I just, like, thought it’d be fun to make breakfast today...for you.”

Harvey’s chest flooded with warmth. “For me, huh? Well, I was never one to turn down a free meal.” Harvey looked down at the half-formed pancake in his hands before he brought it to his lips, took a tiny nibble, and chewed it carefully. 

“No, don’t eat that,” 90s Kid protested. “It isn’t any good.”

“It’s not amazing,” Harvey agreed, “but it’s not half-bad either.” 

90s Kid’s head jerked up. “R-really?”

Harvey smiled, putting down the pancake and dusting his hands off a bit. “Really. You might not have gotten things just right, but I can see from what you’ve done that you know some of what to do. I like a cat who knows how to improvise in the kitchen.”

90s Kid fidgeted as he focused on wiping up some egg yolk that had gotten onto the counter. “I-if you say so, dude. Sorry I totally botched your breakfast and junk, especially cuz it’s...y’know, today.”

Harvey felt another warm glow in his chest and he reached out to ruffle 90s Kid’s hair affectionately. “Hey, I know you’re not the type to give up that easily, Junior. Why don’t we clean this up and I can give you the run-down on all this cooking biz?”

90s Kid looked at Harvey eagerly, almost struggling to contain his emotions. He was decent enough at making simple foods in the kitchen when he needed to, but having Harvey teach him to cook more complex dishes was something he’d been imagining for a while now, though he’d been too embarrassed to actually ask the man. 

“Dude, you really wanna show me how? Even though you can cook all kinds of awesome stuff and I can’t even do pancakes that, like, cook all the way?” 90s Kid gave another dejected look towards his half-liquefied creations before shyly looking back to Harvey’s face. “I know I’m terrible and junk, b-but I’d totally like to try it if you, like, really think I can.”

“Of course I do,” Harvey said confidently. “Anyone can cook if they have the right teacher. Lucky for you, I’ve got years of experience in delighting taste buds.”

90s Kid giggled. “You really are totally good at it. Okay, dude, if you think you can teach me, I’ll totally try it.”

Harvey smiled. “Then let’s get to it.” Just then, another misshapen pancake fell from the ceiling and landed gently atop Harvey’s head. “Okay, small adjustment to that last statement: let’s make this place spic and span first, and then we’ll get to it.”

“I’ll get the mop,” 90s Kid agreed. 

An hour later, the kitchen was sparkling, and the two men were standing in front of a vast array of dishes and ingredients. While 90s Kid picked up an old-fashioned egg beater and twirled it around to his own amusement, Harvey laid out a very old but obviously well-cared for cookbook.

“This belonged to my Nona,” he told 90s Kid, who laid down the implement so he could peer at the worn pages Harvey flipped through. “She was about the best cook there ever was. Nothing from the store could even come close to what came from her oven. She had recipes for everything and she kept them all in here. I was one of the lucky few who was allowed to touch this, Junior, and today, your name will be added to that list.”

90s Kid looked down at the book uncertainly, his hands locked at his sides. “Are you sure about that, man? Don’tcha think I might, like, mess it up somehow?”

Harvey smiled gently at 90s Kid. “I trust you, Junior. I know you’ll protect this with all you got and won’t, say, accidentally set one of the pages on fire. Like this.” He patted one such page, which bore a few black marks on it. 

90s Kid gaped at the damage. “Whoa, dude, that’s unradical. Who messed up your grandma’s book like that?”

Harvey chuckled. “That’d be yours truly, Junior.”

90s Kid’s mouth fell open even wider at this news. “You? No way!”

“Way,” Harvey said, still chuckling. “Oh, I got my hide tanned for that one. You only need to be punished by Nona once and you’ll be damned sure to never let it happen again.”

90s Kid gulped and stuffed his hands inside his pockets. “Yeah, I-I think I’ll just, like, not touch it for now.”

“Don’t worry, the spirit of my Nona is not gonna pop up to haunt you just for touching her book,” Harvey teased. 90s Kid giggled a bit before his eyes fell upon the new page Harvey flipped to. 

“So, what are we gonna make first?”

Harvey flipped to a page near the start of the book and ran his finger over the handwritten text carefully. “I think we’re gonna start with the basics. Nona had an amazing recipe for meatballs that I think you’d do real swell at, Junior.”

90s Kid’s stomach rumbled just hearing the word. “Meatballs sound awesome. But wait, I thought we were cooking breakfast?” 90s Kid asked in confusion. 

“Well, a lot of these recipes take a little bit of time to complete, so I thought starting with dinner would give us plenty of time to perfect each recipe,” Harvey explained. “And, since the rest of these cats seem to be out doing their thing and leaving us be today, how about we surprise ‘em with a dinner we cooked once they get home? I’m sure they’d love to see the kind of magic you can work in the kitchen, kiddo.”

Harvey winked and 90s Kid blushed again, fiddling with the beaters some more. “Whoa, dude. You wanna make stuff for everybody to eat? What if I mess up and, like, make everybody sick or something?”

Harvey squeezed his shoulder before 90s Kid could get too swept away in his panic and the teen looked over at him. “The only way they’re gonna get sick is by eating too much of our delicious cuisine, son.” 90s Kid shivered lightly at the name. “You think you can help me make a proper Father’s Day feast for everybody? The boy I know would never back down from a challenge like this.” he encouraged.

90s Kid felt his body tremble thanks to Harvey’s words. He wanted nothing more than to spend the day with the singer and to make him proud. “I think I can do it,” he finally said, looking into Harvey’s eyes. “I wanna make something that everybody loves, so I’ll do everything you tell me to...Dad.”

Harvey squeezed 90s Kid’s shoulder fondly again, his heart beating faster like it always did when he was addressed in that way. 

“Alright then, I think it’s time we get to work. First, we’re gonna dump this ground beef into the mixing bowl.” As 90s Kid did that, Harvey took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and washed his hands. “Now, Junior, I’m gonna ask you to measure out different ingredients and dump them into the bowl while I’m mixing the meat, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good. First, we’ll need a quarter cup of milk.” 90s Kid quickly poured out the appropriate amount of liquid before dumping it into the bowl. “Perfect. Next we’ll need one egg.” 90s Kid nodded and was about to reach for the carton when he watched in surprise as Harvey stuck his hands inside the bowl and started to mix the meat. 

“Dude! Aren’t you gonna use a spoon or something?”

“Nope,” Harvey said with a smile. “Meatballs always taste better if you mix ‘em this way. Putting in the extra effort also adds in extra flavor.”

“Doesn’t that stuff feel all cold and gross between your fingers?” 90s Kid asked, still watching Harvey as if mesmerized. 

“Kinda,” Harvey agreed. “So, you got that egg ready?”

“Huh? Oh yeah!” 90s Kid quickly retrieved and cracked the egg as requested, watching with interest as Harvey started to mix the slimy yolk into the beef. “Hehehe, that looks so gross,” he couldn’t help but giggle. “Gross and awesome.” Harvey shot him a crooked smile. 

“Junior, are you by chance hoping to switch jobs with me?”

“Can I?” 90s Kid asked, looking very hopeful. Harvey gave an amused laugh before nodding. 

“Well, sure. Just make sure to wash up before digging in.”

“Okay!” Once 90s Kid had passed inspection, he quickly stuck his hands into the concoction and started squishing with delight. As he washed up, Harvey glanced over at the teen and had a flash of memory, when a young, blonde boy took just as much delight in mixing meatballs by hand. 

“I guess kids will be kids,” he murmured.

“Huh?” 90s Kid asked, turning towards Harvey as his hands continued mixing. “Did you say something, Dad?”

Harvey flushed a bit and focused on getting a baking sheet out of the cabinet. “Just a little memory on my mind, that’s all, son. Seeing you like that reminds me of the first time I got to do this with Charlie. You both like getting your hands dirty. It drove his mother crazy but I didn’t mind.” Harvey chuckled and thought back wistfully, to a time that had a warm but distant glow to it. 

90s Kid was thankful that he had something for his hands to do right then, since he needed to take a minute to gather enough courage to ask his next question. “I think that’s really cool, Dad...uh...do you think Charlie would have liked me?”

Harvey looked to 90s Kid with such surprise that 90s Kid was paralyzed from his kneading for a moment; then, once Harvey moved toward him and squeezed both his shoulders, he relaxed again.

“I think you two would have been best pals, Junior. You remind me of him so much that I know you two would have hit it off right off the bat.”

90s Kid’s cheeks puffed out happily as he thought about it. “I think so too, dude. I mean, he’s gotta be cool if you taught him how to be like you.”

“Hey, no one can be as cool as me,” Harvey replied, earning a laugh from the teen. “But I’ll teach you a couple of my tricks, if you think I can handle ‘em.”

“I totally can. Teach me anything and then I’ll, like, do it ten times better than you, Dad!”

Harvey scoffed and dumped a cup of breadcrumbs into the mixture. “Okay, you’re on. I’ll show you my patented meatball rolling technique and then we’ll see who can mix the roundest beauty of all.”

“You’re on!” 

After adding in a variety of spices and seasonings, Harvey collected a handful of meat and began to roll it between his palms gently. “See, Junior? You gotta treat the meat just right.” Harvey paused when he heard unmistakable snickering coming from the teen and he shot him a look. “Something amusing there, Junior?”

“N-no,” 90s Kid said, pressing one hand to his mouth to keep from making any further noise. 

“As I was saying,” Harvey continued. “You gotta be tender with every meatball. You massage it gently between your fingers, caressing it into a perfectly round shape, before setting it down to rest on its plump bottom.”

90s Kid doubled over with laughter at that one and Harvey smirked as he set down his finished creation. “You’re twenty years too young to even think about beating me, squirt,” he teased as he lifted 90s Kid’s cap and ruffled his hair again. 

90s Kid pouted and quickly slid his cap back on. “I’m no squirt, and I’m totally gonna beat you, old man!”

Harvey chuckled, pleased to see a fire lit inside 90s Kid, and watched as he proceeded to produce a dozen large and slightly oblong-shaped meatballs.

“Well now, maybe I should change my tune. You might be getting a little too slick for me to keep up with.” Harvey sighed in mock defeat and looked mournfully off into nothingness. “I always knew the day would come when my prodigy would come to surpass me. Oh, could this world truly be so cruel to deny me my meaty mastery?”

90s Kid’s hands shook as he started laughing again and he accidentally crushed his next meatball within his hands. “S-stop, dude, I can’t breathe,” he wheezed out, not only loving the way Harvey joked but just being deliriously happy in the kitchen with him that day. Harvey couldn’t help laughing himself as he eased up a bit so 90s Kid could catch his breath. 

Once they started focusing a bit more, Harvey was pleased to see that they had completely filled the tray with meatballs. “Now we just fry these beauties up and the main course is done! Well, half-done, I should say.”

“Half-done?” 90s Kid asked in surprise from the sink, where he was washing his hands. “What do you mean?”

“Well, son, meatballs on their own are fine and dandy, but to me, they always taste better when they’re soaked in sauce,” Harvey explained as he wiped up the counter and started gathering some new ingredients to use. “So, we’re going to try our hand at my Nona’s secret tomato sauce recipe.”

90s Kid’s eyebrows rose slightly. “How come it’s a secret?”

Harvey smiled playfully. “That’s because of the special ingredient she added to every batch. One which I’ll share with you after we’ve finished the rest of the sauce, since this ingredient was always added last.”

“Awesome!” 90s Kid replied, happy about being let in on the secret. “So what do we do first?”

“That would be chopping our tomatoes,” Harvey explained, as he picked up a large pot and filled it with water. “Would you mind filling a bowl with ice water for me?”

“How come?” 90s Kid wondered as he set about preparing the item. 

“We’re going to boil these tomatoes to remove their skins, but once that happens, we need to cool them down,” Harvey explained as he set the pot on the stove and turned on the burner. “Now, I’ll need you to hand me the ripest and juiciest ones from that bushel, Junior.”

“Okay.” 90s Kid squeezed and examined every single tomato before handing over the very best for Harvey to core and slice across the bottom. 

When he had a good batch ready, Harvey set down his knife and picked up two slotted spoons before handing one to 90s Kid. “After a minute, scoop these out of the pot and stick ‘em into the ice bath. Think you can handle that?”

“Totally!”

Harvey grinned and dumped a few tomatoes into the now boiling pot. It took a good while, but eventually they removed the skin from every tomato and were ready for step two. “Now, in the olden days, my Nona used to do this by hand,” Harvey explained as he retrieved a food processor. “But I’m a modern man, so I say let’s let modern science help us out a little.”

90s Kid snickered. “You’re a modern man? Yeah, right, and I’m a ballerina.”

“Don’t let Twinkle Toes hear you say that,” Harvey teased. “He might stuff you into tights and twirl you around the block before you even realize it.”

90s Kid shuddered. “Don’t give Ninja-dude any ideas. I wouldn’t wear tights if I were in a comic book.”

Harvey laughed. “Don’t be so sure. I have a feeling the Kid might make us all dress in tights one day to really be a band of superheroes.”

90s Kid gave Harvey a startled look and shuddered again. “Ugh, dude! If he does that, I totally quit!”

“Hmm, I don’t know, son,” Harvey said as he emptied the boiling water from the pot so he could pour the pureed tomatoes inside. “We’ve got a pretty cushy gig here, and I don’t know if we’d find anything better out there. What else do you think we could do?”

“Well…we could go on the road again together!” 90s Kid beamed as he thought back to the trip he and Harvey had taken a couple of summers ago. It had been one of the most enjoyable times of his life, save a few parts of course.

Harvey couldn’t help but grin at the idea as he pulled a pitcher of lemonade from the fridge and two glasses from the cupboard. “Well, that sounds swell to me, but I think Crockett might not be so fond of the idea.”

“Oh yeah.” 90s Kid’s face fell momentarily before it lit up again. “He could come too! We could both be roadies for you or, like, your assistants or something!”

“I have a feeling you’d be more interested in assisting each other than me,” Harvey teased, chuckling when the teen’s face went red. “Anyway, we’re both happily employed here so let’s keep it that way for the foreseeable future. How about we toast to our steady employment while the sauce simmers?”

“Sure dude!” The two sat down at the table and clinked their glasses together before drinking in comfortable silence for a few moments, simply enjoying each other’s company.

A little while later, Harvey picked up a spice rack and moved it in front of him. “Alright, now it’s time to start blending spices together. We’ve got sage, rosemary, tarragon, some fresh dill, thyme, and just a touch of mint.”

90s Kid tilted his head curiously as Harvey mixed together a dash of each spice. “Isn’t all that junk going to make the sauce taste weird?”

Harvey sighed a bit melodramatically. “Oh, Junior. You must have quite an unsophisticated palate to ask a question like that. I’ll have to do my best to fill that noggin of yours with some useful information.” 90s Kid rolled his eyes but nevertheless listened as Harvey began to explain.

“Thyme has a subtle flavor, and tastes slightly like mint, while mint has a stronger, sweet taste that tricks your tongue into thinking you ate something cold. Dill is also sweet and citrusy, but with a slightly bitter taste as well, while rosemary’s bold enough to overwhelm everything else if you aren’t careful.”

As Harvey continued to chatter away, 90s Kid listened on with interest. “Wow,” he said when the singer was finally finished. “You, like, know so much about all this stuff. How’d you get to be so smart?”

Harvey beamed at the compliment and puffed out his chest a bit. “Thanks, son. I happen to know a lot more than you’d expect, but in this case, it helps that I had an herb garden when I was growing up.”

“You had a garden?” 90s Kid asked in slight disbelief. 

“Well, technically it was just a few squares in my Ma’s garden,” Harvey admitted, “but I was allowed to grow whatever I wanted, so I usually stuck with herbs. Not only did they make our meals extra tasty, but they sold for a pretty penny as well. Though that’s not what I loved most about it.” Harvey leaned back in his chair and smiled as he remembered those bygone days. “What I loved most about that garden was how peaceful it was. I could till the soil and plant my seeds without anyone bothering me. Sometimes I’d just come out there when I had something on my mind and sit in the afternoon sunlight until I felt at ease.” Harvey glanced over at 90s Kid, who was also leaning back somewhat, a serene smile on his face. 

“That sounds totally cool,” He murmured. 

“Every kid should have a place where they can enjoy the solitude,” Harvey continued. “Did you ever have one of those places, Junior? Maybe a tree house or something?”

“Nah.” 90s Kid shook his head. “I didn’t have one. Though, I guess technically I did, since I was alone a lot in my house. I, um, didn’t really like the solitude though,” he admitted softly.

Harvey’s eyes flickered with guilt as he realized he had accidentally touched on something that 90s Kid probably didn’t like to think about. Harvey knew that 90s Kid hadn’t had the best childhood and that he didn’t talk about it much, but if he was willing to open up about this, maybe it would help 90s Kid to talk about it further. 

“I’m real sorry to hear that, Junior. Your folks weren’t around the house that often?”

90s Kid shook his head, stirring his straw in his lemonade idly. “Yeah. My mom and dad were usually, like, always working, so they were gone in the mornings and didn’t come back until real late. The house was always quiet, and I don’t like quiet and empty places, so I usually blasted my Nirvana to help.”

Harvey began to realize how much 90s Kid’s treasured and often played music meant to him. “I know how it is to need to play yourself some records in order to forget the blues you’ve got going on in your life,” Harvey said softly, watching as a red-faced 90s Kid shyly took a drink. “So don’t feel alone in that, son.”

The corners of 90s Kid’s mouth twitched a little as he tried to smile. “Thanks.”

Harvey frowned a little, his curiosity getting the better of him then. “Junior, if your parents weren’t around all day, what did you end up doing for dinner? Did they leave you something before they left?” 

90s Kid shrugged. “I guess so. I can’t really remember seeing ‘em make stuff, but there was always leftovers in the fridge that I could microwave. Or I just made stuff for myself, like grilled cheese and macaroni and stuff like that.”

Harvey felt a cold sensation pierce his chest as he realized just how lonely 90s Kid must have been back then, how he’d only had music for company during mealtimes. He tried not to squeeze his glass too tightly as he felt a strong sense of injustice at the unfairness of it all. 

“Junior, you-you deserved better than that,” Harvey began, looking over at 90s Kid and watching as the teen looked up to meet his gaze as well. “Kids aren’t supposed to have to take care of themselves that early. Dinner time is supposed to be where you get to feel warm and happy and get to talk with family, and...and you never shoulda had to be without that.” Harvey was beginning to get swept away in his feelings when 90s Kid surprised him with a warm smile. 

“I don’t mind, Harvey-dude. That was the past and stuff, and now I get to eat all your awesome food every night and Ninja-dude’s too,” he carefully added, wanting to be sure the man wasn’t listening from the shadows. “And I get to have awesome dinner times with the most radical family ever. So I think having to eat alone all those times was worth it, since now I get to do those things with you, Dad.”

It was hard to believe 90s Kid, who could be so juvenile at times, could have such a mature outlook when it came to the things he’d faced in his past. Harvey stood and pulled the teen up into a hug that he quickly accepted. “Damn right you get to do all these things with me,” he muttered. “Just lemme know what you wanna do first, son.”

90s Kid grinned when he pulled back and looked to Harvey eagerly. “For now, can you tell me more about when you were a kid? Like about your garden and junk? I bet that was a totally rad place to hang.”

“Yeah, it was my own little slice of heaven,” Harvey agreed. “Pull up a chair and I’ll tell you all about the time I entered a contest to grow the biggest squash in town, and ended up buried in a pile of manure.” 90s Kid giggled and quickly reclaimed his seat, listening intently as Harvey talked. The singer was a natural storyteller and time just flew as he chattered away. 

\-----

When he was finally finished, their tomato sauce was reaching a similar state of completion. “Boy, it’s looking good,” Harvey said after dipping a spoon in to taste the concoction. “We are just about done here, Junior.”

“What about the secret ingredient?” 90s Kid asked, having never forgotten about Harvey’s earlier words. 

Harvey smiled. “Of course, I couldn’t possibly forget that.” He glanced around the kitchen, making certain no one was watching them, before he opened a cupboard and reached way into the back of it before finally producing a bottle. “Sauce always tastes best with a little zest, but instead of simple lemon juice, we’re using this.”

“Li-mon-cello?” 90s Kid asked, the word sounding awkward on his tongue. “Is that, like, limeade or something?”

“It’s a little…stronger than that,” Harvey replied as he removed the cap. 

90s Kid wrinkled his nose. “It’s alcohol? Yuck, that stuff tastes terrible.”

“Sometimes I think something’s seriously wrong with your tastebuds,” Harvey teased before he splashed a few drops into the sauce. At 90s Kid’s displeased look, he laughed out loud. “Don’t worry; you won’t even taste the booze once you’ve gotten a taste of the meatballs. I promise, son, it’ll be fine.”

“Well, if you’re sure.” 90s Kid glanced at the now fried meatballs. “So we’re gonna add those to the sauce now?”

“Yep! If we get them in now, they’ll be soaking up all that delicious flavor for hours.”

“I don’t think that’s enough for a whole meal.” 90s Kid glanced at the clock. “We still have time before dinner. Are we gonna make anything else?”

“Absolutely, son. When I say I want a feast, we definitely need some more courses involved, and I think I’ve got just the recipe that will spark your interest...” Harvey deftly flipped to a page near the back of the book and grinned. “Ah, there we go. My Nona’s pizza rustica! I used to beg her to make it for me when I visited her on weekends.”

90s Kid’s face instantly lit up at the mention of his favorite food. “Pizza? Duuuude, that sounds like the most awesome thing to cook ever!”

Harvey felt his smile widen just from being next to the enthusiastic teen. “It’ll be delicious, but it’s a little different than how you’re thinking. Instead of just having it be a flat dough, this is gonna have a lid to it, like a pie.”

90s Kid paused, glancing at the recipe and wondering if he’d accidentally tear it just by looking. “So it’s like a pie but stuffed with pizza stuff?”

“Something like that! Best way to demonstrate is by doing. Why don’t you grab the flour and we’ll get to work making the dough. I can even teach you how to toss it like the pros do, since my first part-time job in high school was at my Uncle Vinny’s pizzeria.”

90s Kid nearly shook with excitement at hearing that, as it was something he had always wanted to learn, so he grabbed the bag of flour from the counter and lifted it, spilling a bit as he did. “Whoops.”

“It’s fine. We need a little flour for later on anyway.” Harvey said while grabbing the mixer, some measuring cups, and the ingredients they’d need. “Alright, we’re gonna need five cups of flour,” Harvey began, measuring the substance before dumping it into the mixer. “Why don’t you check and see what we need next, son?”

“Sure! Uh, let’s see...” 90s Kid’s lips moved silently for a moment as he read. “Uh, two teaspoons of salt. Is the teaspoon this one?”

Harvey nodded. “That’s right. Why don’t you do that part solo, Junior?”

90s Kid felt uneasy about possibly spilling things again, but he wanted to prove to Harvey that he could do a good job, so he picked up the teaspoon and tried to pour some out. He grunted a bit and paused, not sure he could clearly see what he was doing, so he put the salt down and placed his sunglasses atop his head, surprising Harvey a bit. 

“Oh, uh, y-you can let me handle it if you want,” he tried to say, but 90s Kid was too absorbed in the task to hear him. “Or you can just keep going, since you seem to be in a groove.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

Harvey felt incredibly touched and was uncharacteristically speechless for a moment. He simply stood and watched as 90s Kid measured not only the salt but the eggs, water, pepper, and olive oil that the recipe called for. Even though he wasn’t mentioning it, the fact that he felt comfortable enough to remove that one layer of protection he always wore brought a lump to Harvey’s throat. 

“Finished!” 90s Kid cried a moment later, sliding his glasses back into place without a thought. He then noticed Harvey’s expression and frowned. “Are you okay?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, I’m fine.” Harvey shook his head and turned on the mixer. “Thanks for all your help, son. Now we’ll get a little help mixing it up, but after that we’ll be getting our hands dirty again.”

“All right!” 90s Kid said, excited about the prospect of getting even messier.

After a few minutes, the mixer was shut off and Harvey spread a little more flour on the counter. “Okay, son, the trick is to treat the dough tenderly, just like how you treated the meat.” 90s Kid began to smirk again, but Harvey ignored that as he started getting into the process of kneading the dough. He worked quickly and quietly, his fingers skillfully twisting and turning and dancing across the sticky mass. 90s Kid watched in awe for a few moments until Harvey turned to him. “Wanna give it a try?”

“Okay.” The teen was hesitant at first, gingerly touching the dough with the tips of his fingers only, but soon he started to become comfortable with the feel of it in his hands, and in no time at all it seemed he was pounding and molding the dough with ease.

“Look at that, you’re a natural. I don’t know why you were so nervous about all this cooking biz, since you’re taking to it like a fish to water.” 90s Kid beamed at the praise, feeling his good mood grow even stronger. He almost wished it could be Father’s Day every day so he’d have an excuse to spend this much time with Harvey, joking with him, learning from him, earning his praise and approval. 

“Thanks, Dad. I totally couldn’t have done it without you.”

Harvey clapped 90s Kid on the back. “Keep at that for a few more minutes, we want it to be nice and stretchy. I’ll go ahead and pre-heat the oven.” Harvey went over and did so, taking his time to oil the baking sheets as well, and when he came back, the dough looked ready. “I think that oughta do it, son. Now we get to the fun part.” Harvey carefully picked up the dough and placed it on his hands, before rotating them with mounting speed. 90s Kid watched with awe and amazement as Harvey tossed the dough into the air, catching it on his hands as it came back down, before doing it once again. “Looks like I haven’t lost my touch!”

“Whoaaaaaa! That’s so cool! I wanna try!”

“Sure, be my guest.” Harvey handed the dough over and watched as 90s Kid awkwardly started to spin it in his hands. “It’s okay if you don’t get it your first try. Even yours truly needed about a dozen attempts-”

“Got it!”

Harvey fell silent as 90s Kid perfectly tossed the spinning dough into the air and then managed to catch it without a problem. 90s Kid grinned proudly at him. “I smoked you, dude.”

“Show off,” Harvey muttered, but his proud smile revealed how he really felt. After a few more tosses, each more elaborate than the last, the dough was finally ready to be divided into four pieces, two placed inside pans and two saved for later. 

Afterwards, the two mixed a variety of meats, cheeses, and eggs in a large bowl before pouring that mixture over the pans containing the dough; afterwards, they covered the pans with the saved pieces of dough and pinched the ends to the rims of the pans. Harvey then brushed a little egg wash over top the dough before finally smiling at 90s Kid and setting his tools down. 

“That’s it. Now we just put these beauties in to bake for a couple hours, and they’ll be ready to taste.”

“I can’t wait to try all this stuff,” 90s Kid admitted. “I’ve never cooked like this before so I...I hope I didn’t totally blow it.” 90s Kid looked up when Harvey placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“You did your best, son. In my eyes, you aced it.” 90s Kid pulled Harvey into another hug, one which ended quicker than the first, since it disrupted the leftover flour that had settled on the counter and led to a fit of coughing for both. “W-why don’t we clean up a bit here,” Harvey suggested as he noticed exactly how messy the kitchen actually was. “I’m a bit worried to see what the ninja would do if he came home to find things looking like they are.”

“Yeah, Ninja-dude can be totally scary.”

“Agreed. Although if you tell him I said that, I’ll deny it.”

90s Kid giggled. “My lips are sealed, dude.”

The two got to work putting everything away, cleaning up the floor and the countertops, and making sure that not one speck of flour or any other ingredient was just lying haphazardly around the kitchen. Once the room was spotless, Harvey clapped his hands together.

“Alright! Now that everything’s cleaned up and the food’s getting toasty, why don’t we give this place a fancier feel before the others come home?”

“What do you mean, dude?”

Harvey walked to the linen closet and pulled out a red-and-white checkered tablecloth, smiling and reminiscing once again. “When I visited Nona’s house for dinner, we always made an event of it with fancy tablecloths, candles, the whole nine, to make it feel real cozy. Tonight I want our culinary delights to have a suitable stage, son. Care to help me with this?”

90s Kid nodded, already feeling warm at the mental picture Harvey’s words brought up. The two spread the tablecloth over the dining room table, set out the china plates, silverware, and napkins, then arranged a bouquet of flowers in the center before Harvey set out the candles.

“Let’s wait on lighting ‘em for now,” Harvey reminded as 90s Kid reached eagerly for the matches. “I’ll let you do the honors, but first we’d better freshen up and make ourselves presentable. I don’t think flour counts as an accessory.”

“Hehe, yeah.”

An hour and a half later, two freshly showered and dressed men were ushering members of the team over to the table and seating them like waiters in those fancy restaurants Harvey was always visiting. 

“Say, this place looks nice,” Linkara noted as Harvey pushed in his chair for him. “You two must have been busy today.”

“Oh, we were,” Harvey agreed. “I might need to take tomorrow off to recover from today.”

Linkara’s expression showed slight concern. “Was it rough?” He knew Harvey had his bad moments from time to time, and Father’s Day was rife with opportunities to lure him into a dark place if he wasn’t careful. Harvey assuaged his fears though by smiling and squeezing Linkara’s shoulder. 

“Only for my feet and my back. I’m not getting any younger, and working all day in the kitchen really tuckered me out.”

“Perhaps I can do something about your aching muscles,” Linkara murmured, shooting the singer a sensual look. Harvey’s response was his trademark crooked smile and whispered instructions of where Linkara should meet him that night, as well as what he should bring.

 _It smells so good in here!_ Boffo honked as he was seated at the table by 90s Kid. _I can’t wait to taste what you made, 90s Kid._

“It was mostly Harvey who made it,” 90s Kid tried to downplay, but Harvey suddenly clapped him on the back. 

“None of that, Junior. We both made this dinner and we’re both going to share the praise we get for it.”

*You must be very confident in how it will taste* Ninja said, having suddenly appeared in the seat next to Boffo. 

“We sure are!” Harvey declared. “This meal will knock your socks off, Twinkle Toes, or I’ll eat my hat!”

Ninja smirked. *I am eager to taste the fruits of your labor.* 

“Great. Come on, Junior.” 90s Kid followed Harvey into the kitchen where he was given one of the pizza rusticas, while Harvey took care of the meatballs. “You ready?” he asked.

90s Kid nodded. “Let’s do it.”

“For your dining pleasure this evening, gentlemen, Junior and I have prepared my Nona’s famous meatballs a la Finevoice, as well as her delightful pizza rustica.” While 90s Kid lit the candles and dimmed the lights, Harvey sliced the thick stuffed pizza into portions for all of their hungry comrades, and dished out meatballs with ease, before sitting down once he himself had been served.

“ _Mangiamo_ , everyone!” The team eagerly picked up their silverware and took bites of the hot, rich food.

 _Wow, this is delicious!_ Boffo honked, pressing a napkin to his mouth as he savored his first meatball. _What did you put in this sauce; all of the flavors come together perfectly!_

“That’s a trade secret, Chuckles. Once you’re good enough to make these babies I’ll consider letting you in on it.” Harvey winked at 90s Kid, who was also savoring a meatball and thinking it was the most delicious one he’d ever had.

“Mmm, and this is rather divine as well,” Linksano murmured, having already devoured several bites of his pizza portion. “This is far more welcome than the greasy fare that 90s Kid usually brings home.”

“Hey, I bring home awesome pizza! But I agree, this is totally a ton better,” 90s Kid admitted, finding himself shocked that all the fancy ingredients Harvey insisted on truly did taste better than his preferred junk food. Maybe he could stand to be a little fancy now and then. 

*The prosciutto and salami mix with the Romano cheese exquisitely* Ninja held up, closing his eyes as his experienced palate savored every flavor. *I am grinding my diet into dust but I must give credit where it is due. You two have done a marvelous job on these dishes.*

“You guys all really think that?” 90s Kid asked, his cheeks slowly reddening with each new bit of praise the food received. 

“Of course,” Linkara said with a very full mouth. “This happens to be a house full of picky eaters, so if there was anyone who didn’t like any part of this, you’d know.”

“Speak for yourself,” Linksano sniffed after finishing a second helping of meatballs. “I happen to be a fan of most every type of food, so be careful to whom you apply that ‘picky’ label.”

Linkara rolled his eyes before glancing to the other side of the table. “What about you two?”

 _I certainly love everything here!_ Boffo honked while Ninja nodded.

*I admit, the food is very good. I would definitely recommend your cuisine to anyone inquiring about it.* 

Harvey beamed knowingly at 90s Kid. “See, I told ya. We aced it, Junior.”

“Yeah,” 90s Kid said, rubbing his neck as he tried not to feel overwhelmed with happiness. “You were totally right.” Harvey leaned back feeling satisfied with how things had turned out when 90s Kid piped up. “Hey, can you pass me the rolls, Dad? …Dude! I-I said dude!”

It went silent immediately after this, an awkward atmosphere settling in over what had once been a light and friendly supper. Everyone glanced at each other uncertainly, save Harvey, who was now staring at 90s Kid, and 90s Kid, who was now staring directly at his plate, the hand gripping his fork trembling slightly. Eventually Linkara grabbed the basket of rolls and placed them beside 90s Kid’s plate before he turned his attention to the others. 

“So, um, it’s supposed to rain tomorrow, so I thought it might be a good idea to do some cleaning around the apartment. How does that sound?” He waited for responses and frowned when he received only unenthusiastic mumbles for responses. Linkara looked to Harvey then. “What do you think, Harvey?”

“Huh? I, um, I guess so.” Harvey was once again that day at a loss for words, his mind struggling to formulate what he should do next to help things from becoming even more awkward for 90s Kid. Unfortunately, the others had a similar idea. 

_90s Kid, are you okay?_ Boffo asked with calm concern. _You don’t have to feel embarrassed around us. We won’t laugh at you for wanting to call Harvey by that name._

“Yes, Boffo’s quite right,” Linksano agreed. “It’s not a big deal at all.”

 _Actually, it’s kind of sweet for you to think of him in a fatherly way._ Boffo honked. 

That was the last straw, and caused 90s Kid to jump from his seat and bolt out of the room. He didn’t look at or speak to anyone, simply running until he reached his room, where he slammed the door shut behind him.

 _I hope I didn’t say anything wrong._ Boffo honked a bit fretfully, looking up the stairs with worry. 

Harvey wiped his mouth with his napkin before setting it on the table and rising to his feet. 

“Don’t worry, Chuckles, you didn’t.” Harvey’s usually warm and expressive face was oddly blank right now. “I’ll go check on Junior and I’m sure everything will be fine.”

Linkara stood as well, looking to Harvey with concern and a little confusion. “Are you okay? Do you need help?” he asked quietly.

Harvey shook his head. “I’m fine, I promise. I’ll handle it.” Linkara watched as Harvey started up the stairs before sighing and sitting back down. Everyone felt a lingering awkwardness but they continued to eat the food that their absent chefs had created for them.

Harvey moved down the hall without pausing and knocked on 90s Kid’s door a few times. He didn’t hear an answer so he opened the door, noticing that 90s Kid was curled up on his bed, clutching a pillow in his arms and trying to hide his face.

“Can I come in?” There wasn’t a response, so Harvey proceeded as if it had been a yes. He closed the door and walked over toward the bed. “I know there’s probably not much I can do right now to make you feel better-”

“I wish I could go back in time,” 90s Kid murmured from behind his pillow. “I’m so stupid. Why can’t I just go back and make sure I never said something stupid like that? I hate that I can’t fix it.”

Harvey felt a pain shoot across his chest but he ignored it as he focused on the teen. “You know, everyone makes slips of the tongue like that. It doesn’t mean anything and nobody remembers them an hour after they happened.”

“That’s not what this was,” 90s Kid muttered, curling up even more tightly. “Everyone’s gonna think I...I...I’m some loser baby! Arrrgh I just wanna leave!” 90s Kid sprang up from his bed and hurried over to his closet, tossing shirts and jeans onto the floor after searching the contents of their pockets. “Where’s the teleporter, where is it...ugh, this totally blows!”

Harvey watched him and tried not to feel like he was being gutted. “Here, Junior,” he said, holding up the teleporter from the nightstand, where it had been resting all along. “You go ahead and go. I’ll deal with the others and make sure they get the message that you absolutely do not...do not want me to be your dad.” His hands trembled as he offered up the device, and he found himself unable to look into 90s Kid’s face, lest he start tearing up.

“W-what?” 90s Kid paused, trembling and staring at Harvey as though he’d just said something blasphemous. “B-but that’s not-I didn’t-that’s not what happened!” 90s Kid started to shake badly and his face turned bright red, which caused Harvey’s eyes to widen. He dropped the teleporter and hurried to 90s Kid’s side.

“Easy now, Junior, it’s okay,” Harvey’s voice soothed. “There’s no need to get so upset now.”

“Yes there is! I-I’m so sorry, H-Harvey!” 90s Kid choked out, gasping a bit as he tried to take control of himself. “I-I just wasn’t thinking but I didn’t mean it! I want you to be my dad, Harvey-dude; I want that more than anything! I just totally screwed up and said it in front of them! I-I didn’t want them to know…to know how much of a baby I was,” he admitted as tears started to stream down his cheeks. “I-I just want you to be proud of me…I’m tired of everyone thinking I’m too young and immature and junk…but then I m-made you feel like I didn’t want you, b-but I do! I want you to be my Dad! I n-never wanted to hurt you or make you think I didn’t want that! But I…I just completely humiliated you, and…and m-made you n-not want me for a son, right?” he finished, looking at the singer with a terrified expression.

“What?! No! Junior, you got it all wrong!” Harvey cried, rubbing 90s Kid’s back as he spoke. “There’s nothing that would ever make me feel like that! I want you as a son! I’ve loved it every time we could spend time together and I wouldn’t trade that for anything on this Earth! Don’t think having feelings like this makes you seem immature, because everyone loves someone, even if they aren’t connected by blood. No one who truly cares about you is gonna judge you for that, Junior.”

“Yeah…yeah, you’re right…” 

Harvey felt relieved when 90s Kid’s shaking started to slow and he helped the teen back onto his bed. “You feeling better now?”

“Y-yeah.” It took a few deep breaths, but 90s Kid eventually calmed down and was able to look at Harvey again. “I’m sorry...I didn’t mean to hurt you,” 90s Kid said, his voice very soft and frail. “I don’t ever wanna hurt you…I really...really love you, Dad.” 90s Kid closed his eyes as Harvey pulled him into an embrace then, both of them unable to stop from tearing up this time. 

“I love you too, son. Don’t ever think that I’ll stop. I could never...I won’t ever stop, Charlie.”

“I won’t ever stop either,” 90s Kid warbled out, burying his face into Harvey’s shoulder. It meant so much to him that Harvey was his father and he had been terrified that he’d just ruined it all downstairs. “I just panicked cuz I know that we don’t call each other that all the time, and I know that Linkara is the only one who knows about-about-”

“I know,” Harvey said softly, tears running down his cheeks as he rested his head atop 90s Kid’s. “I know you weren’t meaning to start anything and have them ask questions. But you don’t gotta be sorry, Charlie, ‘cause I ain’t mad.”

90s Kid lifted his sunglasses briefly to wipe at his watery blue eyes. “W-Why not?”

Harvey took a handkerchief and gently wiped the tears from his face. “You know that ever since I lost him, Father’s Day hasn’t been easy for me,” he began softly. “I used to just shut myself in my room and spend all my time wading through memories that almost hurt more than helped. Sometimes I’d go out and get drunk just so I wouldn’t have to think of his face or his voice. It’s a big part of why I used to ignore you.”

Harvey swallowed thickly, remembering his initial treatment of 90s Kid with shame. “But ever since that day, a couple years ago, you let me take you out…and you drew me that picture. I still have it. I still have everything you’ve drawn for me.” 90s Kid unconsciously let out a sigh of relief when he heard that, having always wondered in the back of his mind if Harvey had really kept them. He knew he shouldn’t have doubted him. 

“And then last year, we had the time of our lives fishing and shopping and stuff. Of course, I can’t forget to mention my favorite tour either.” 90s Kid couldn’t help smiling as Harvey called it his favorite. “All of those times, it felt like the day wasn’t something I couldn’t bear to live through. Then today, I noticed something kinda interesting.” Harvey continued. “When I woke up today, I remembered Charlie. I’m not gonna lie, it still hurt. It still hurts every day; that kind of hurt doesn’t ever fully get better. But today I didn’t feel like I wanted to hide. I didn’t feel like I wanted to drink. I didn’t even feel like I wanted to stay in my room. I wanted to go downstairs and spend time with the son I love more than anything.”

More tears welled up in 90s Kid’s eyes and Harvey was swiftly following suit. “Today doesn’t hurt so much for me anymore, since it’s becoming our day, Charlie. And it’s all thanks to you. I’m gonna tell the other cats about him one day, once I’m ready, but for now…I could never get upset for them knowing that I feel that way about you. You make me so happy, and I’d…I’d tell everyone if given the chance.” Harvey admitted, lovingly nuzzling 90s Kid’s hair. “I’m so proud of you, son.”

90s Kid blubbered out something incomprehensible and clung to Harvey for a little longer. Eventually he pulled back, but still kept his hands on Harvey’s arms. “I’m sorry if I messed up the day. I love being your son and I don’t care who knows it. You’re the best father I’ve ever had and I can’t thank you enough.”

Harvey smiled and stroked the teen’s hair a bit more. “You don’t gotta thank me. Just keep being you, and that’s enough for me. And don’t worry, you didn’t mess anything up. If you don’t wanna see those guys anymore tonight, it’s fine with me. I’ll keep ‘em in line for when you get home.”

90s Kid surprisingly shook his head. “I don’t wanna run away anymore. I wanna go back downstairs and finish our dinner.”

Harvey’s grin widened and he squeezed 90s Kid’s shoulder. “That’s my boy.”

90s Kid smiled in response before he wiped his face with the sleeve of his jacket, earning a wince and then a chuckle from Harvey. “I’m thinking our next father-son lesson should definitely be about laundry.”

“I’m ready to learn whatever you can teach me, Dad.” Harvey’s chest filled with warmth and he had to dab his eyes with his handkerchief a few times before he composed himself again. By the time he was ready to leave 90s Kid was too, sunglasses and carefree smile both back in position. 

“Ready to go?”

“There’s just one thing I still have to do.” 90s Kid threw his arms around Harvey and hugged tightly. “Happy Father’s Day.”

“Thanks, son.”


End file.
